You've got a great space here, and there's so much you can do with it! Do you know what style you're looking to achieve? If you've already got a red and white colour scheme going in your kitchen, you can always opt for this in the living room. Sometimes grey can make the room look a little dark, so it's always worth investing in a white base, and build from there. Maybe change the colour of the curtains to something a little lighter and richer?

Keya, glad you decided to take the one reader's idea about moving the armoires in front of windows that you don't need and giving the bed a wall of its own! And, yes, you can have Roman shades on one wall and layered drapes on the other. When I had drapes made for my tall sitting room windows/doors, I had them use the same fabric for the Roman shades for the smaller windows on the other wall. For me personally, in these older Indian homes with all the odd nooks and niches in the walls, perhaps it would be more soothing to have a light/med tone paint on the walls that blends with the drapes/blinds for an 'uninterrupted' look, and I would use the same color on ceiling and beams. (but that is just my thought) I would start the process with a large carpet with your favorite colors, then choose your Bedcover & cushions, then your wall paint and fabric for drapes/blinds ..Not certain what style you like, but if you really like a particular Ethnic bedcover fabric, you can always have them stitched into curtains or Roman shades too. Can't wait to see the "After" pics!

Hello Pete, It is indeed tricky to select the laminate from small sample patches. We feel it is often misleading as the small section is just a 2 inch piece cut out from a 8ft x 4ft sheet. Depending on your location you can do either. Check on Merino website .They would show images of the full sheet and if you are lucky even real life application of the same. Another option is to visit the Merino depot. Your designer would be able to book the visit for you. Thanks, Nitin Cornerstone Designs Bangalore.

The living room window itself does not appear to be designed to let much light through. Please show a photo of that window, also of what lies outside the window. In the meantime, I suggest that you replace the builder-installed window with one of your own choosing. Use toughened glass rather than this heavy grill. Minimise the frame, if possible, particularly if there will not be much air coming through. If there is the potential of air but not much view, then have a sliding or bifold window that maximises the opening. On the blank wall outside, if that's your view, put up a green wall, creeper, something to improve the outlook. For nighttime viewing, add mild uplights in a natural white shade, focused on the greenery. Or else, you may be able to put up a reflective surface on the facing wall, to bounce in more of whatever light there is. Such as a coloured glass mural if not a plain mirror. Once you have maximised your window, move on to the wall to the right of your living room photo. That is, the wall that your living room shares with the west bedroom. Use a very large mirror on that wall to expand your living room visually and to bounce more light around. To cut down on expense/effort you can make it out of several standard-size sheets rather than one giant sheet. However, if that wall is to be covered with storage, make sure the front surface of the cabinetry is fairly light-coloured and reflective. Last, if not yet satisfied, consult a lighting expert for this room. That would be useful. These are fairly expensive solutions, all in all, but they should help.